Task List Burnout? Megan Sumrell’s Secrets to Real Productivity

Megan Sumrell and Productivity Secrets for Direct Sellers

If you’ve ever felt like your to-do list is running your life instead of helping you run your business, then this week’s episode of The Other 99% podcast is a must-listen. We sat down with productivity expert and planning powerhouse Megan Sumrell—and wow, did she deliver some golden nuggets for women in direct sales!

Meet Megan Sumrell: From Software to Schedules

Megan didn’t start out in the world of direct sales. With a math degree and 20+ years in high-stakes software and operations roles, she knows chaos—and more importantly, how to clean it up. But it wasn’t until she became a mom that things got real. Juggling a demanding job, a toddler, and a longing for more control, Megan found her way into direct sales—and discovered the need for a smarter way to manage time.

Why Task Lists Alone Won’t Save You

Let’s get real. Most of us are living in “time debt,” rewriting the same task list every day and wondering why we feel so behind. Megan calls this out as the root of decision fatigue—where our brains burn out before lunch from trying to decide what to tackle next.

She explains the subtle (but powerful!) pitfalls of relying solely on task lists:

• We overestimate what we can do in a day
• We avoid the hard stuff and chase easy wins
• We rarely make progress on big goals because they don’t “fit” on the daily list

Her famous phrase? “A task list is not a plan.”

The Power of Planning Over Hustling

Instead of brain-dumping your life onto a never-ending list, Megan teaches a 5-step (and eventually 10-step) weekly planning process that takes less than 15 minutes to complete. She walks through a 48-hour reset technique that’s perfect when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Why it works:

• It reduces decision fatigue
• Helps you focus only on what truly must happen
• Builds consistency (without burnout)

And speaking of consistency…

ClickUp, The Pink Bee, and Creating Systems That Scale

Megan now runs The Pink Bee, a company dedicated to teaching time management and productivity for women—with flair, heart, and a love of all things bees. Her secret to scaling a 7-figure business while only working 4.5 hours a day? Planning, consistency, and ClickUp.

Yes, she’s a ClickUp superfan (and she even launched a workshop to share her exact systems). The episode dives into how she uses ClickUp to run everything—from her business ops to her podcast—without being glued to a screen 24/7.

Productivity Is Personal—And Feminine

This conversation isn’t just about tools and tactics. Megan gets real about what it means to run a business as a woman—with context switching, caregiving, emotional labor, and all. Her message is empowering: Your productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters—with intention.

One of the most powerful reminders? “Your worth is not defined by your productivity.”

Final Thoughts and a Must-Listen Episode

Whether you’re new to direct sales or a seasoned pro, this episode is like a deep breath and a permission slip to stop hustling harder—and start planning smarter.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Other 99% with Megan Sumrell

💬 Megan also shares where to find her free trainings, her app “The Pink Bee,” and her favorite quote (spoiler: it involves haters and honey).

Call to Action:
Ready to ditch task list overwhelm and embrace true time freedom? Listen now!